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A renewed sense of energy and excitement was visible at SURFACES |
StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2013. Attendees and exhibitors were enlightened and
overly-satisfied with the outlook for the future of the industry based on the
show and are already making their plans for SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc
Americas 2014, January 27-30 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las
Vegas.

SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, which took place January
28-31at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada saw a 4.3% increase
in attendance from 2012. Industry professionals packed both floors to see the
largest, trendiest, and best selection of floor covering and stone products in
North America. Exhibitors presented an overflow of products, tools, and
technologies that attendees will inevitably find success with in 2013.

“We are very optimistic about the state of the industries we serve after
SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2013. There was a new and energetic buzz
on the show floor that consumed both attendees and exhibitors throughout the
duration of the show,” commented Dana Teague, Group Director, SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc
Americas. “We are confident that everyone who was in attendance will find
rejuvenated success in 2013.”

Exhibit
Hall

S2 SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas continues to
offer the widest range of products and services of any other North American flooring
or stone industry event. With 699 exhibiting companies at this year’s show in
over 341,419 net square feet of exhibit space, attendees had the perfect
opportunity to see thousands of product lines under one roof. SURFACES welcomed
166 new exhibiting companies, while StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas welcomed 38.

“We sold booth space until the latest possible deadline on Monday, the
day before the show started,” said Amie Gilmore, Associate Show Director of
SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas. “Companies understand the significance
of being in the show and how it can impact the future of their business. It is
necessary to be at S2 to stay competitive.”

SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas is also becoming a world renowned
event attracting attendees from 78 countries and more than 100 exhibiting
companies from key global markets such as Italy, Germany, Spain and Taiwan.

“We
are very pleased with the results of SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas
2013. The energy on the show floor was beyond our expectations. It was a great selling show for us and the
traffic on the show floor was phenomenal. We had quality leads and look forward
to seeing what the year will bring us as a result of our attendance at the
show,” said Ted Skaff, Director of Marketing for Pearl Abrasives Company and GranQuartz.

Tiffany
Davis, Marketing Brand and Product Manager for Home Legend explained, “SURFACES
has once again allowed Home Legend the opportunity to launch exciting and
innovative products into our product line, while cultivating our existing
customer base and gaining new Home Legend customers at the same time.”

“SURFACES 2013 was great and exceeded our expectations. The
show draws exactly the right attendees and allows us to meet with existing and
potential customers as well as dealers from around the country. It was also an
honor to have been selected as a stop for the Designer Day Speed Trending
Tour,” said Steve Wagner, Director of Sales and Marketing for Wellmade
Performance Flooring.

Alex
Bachrach, Publisher of Stone World, TILE
Magazine and Contemporary Stone &
Tile Design recounted “The buzz and traffic at StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas
last week was the best I’ve seen since 2007. Everyone seemed to be so
enthusiastic and it’s a great sign for this industry overall.”

Ed Duncan, Senior Vice President,
Residential Marketing commented, “Mannington had a fantastic SURFACES show this
year. Our booth was incredibly busy all three days, and it’s obvious that
the retail flooring business is picking up. We’re optimistic about 2013
and SURFACES was a great way to kick it off and show the attendees all our
great new products.”

Education
Program

This year’s Education Program was stocked full of in-depth information
and proven strategies to benefit floor covering and stone professionals. With a 20% increase in Education session
attendance, many of the 70+ education sessions were filled to capacity with
attendees serious about learning the latest information in business, sales/marketing,
flooring installation, tile installation, building design and trends,
care/maintenance/restoration, sustainability, and stone
fabrication/installation.

SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas continued to offer the S² Masters Certification program for the second
year, allowing education program participants to qualify for a “Master” status
in any of the eight tracks offered in the program. Attendees were required to
take a minimum of eight hours to receive the certification, which includes a
certificate, mention on the show website and a ribbon to attach to their badge
at next year’s show.

Top attended sessions included Unleashing
Your Potential, presented by Warren Tyler; Carpet Fibers: New Technologies and Advancements You Should Know to
Keep You Out of Trouble, presented by Lew Migliore; and Grade Your Shop’s Performance and Change Its
Future presented by Robert Bromley and Jeff Brekhus.

“I came to SURFACES specifically to attend some of the educational
sessions to learn more about how to run my business. I look forward to using
the knowledge I learned at the show year-round to increase the success of my
business,” said Sandy McKee, Memphis Flooring Company.

The BEC (Business Enrichment
Center), sponsored by GE Capital, was an all-new area on the show floor
that featured an on-floor education stage with seating, SURFACES Social Media
Lounge, and the Technology Trends Lounge, sponsored by Floor Trends. It also featured a cash bar, free Wi-Fi and a
charging station. Attendees were very excited to take advantage of everything
The BEC offered and it turned into a mainstay on the show floor.

The NWFA Hardwood Flooring
Pavilion and Lounge was a brand new, popular area on the show floor. This
area, which was dedicated to hardwood flooring products and current or
prospective NWFA members, allowed for networking and browsing among new
manufacturers and suppliers of innovative hardwood products.

The S² Theater featured action-packed live product and
installation demonstrations which instructed attendees on how to use, sell and
install the latest in floor covering products, tools and technologies.

Tool
Alley featured exhibitors showcasing the latest tools and technologies in
floor covering installation. In addition, the Tool Alley stage held daily live
product demonstrations so attendees could see the tools in action. Chris
Grundy, host of DIY Network’s “Cool Tools” was on-hand to assist with the
demonstrations on Tuesday and signed autographs for exhibitors and attendees.

The Trends Hub was a
high-traffic area on the show floor featuring the best “on trend” products for 2013.
Several exhibiting companies participated in this area by displaying their
newest products in framed sample boards on the walls of the Trends Hub along
with trend boards featuring the hottest colors and textures. Attendees relaxed
in the R&D Laboratory themed space and listened to featured designers in
15-minute “Live in the Hub” presentations, which revealed a round-up of the
trends and products. Victoria Redshaw of Scarlet Opus, a leading trends
forecaster in the United Kingdom, conceptualized and designed the Trends Hub.

The New Product Marketplace
returned with a new location in the Bayside Lobby and featured a sampling of
the newest products for attendees to browse through before making their way to
the manufacturers’ booths for additional information. Floor Trends, TILE Magazine and Stone
World sponsored the New Product Marketplace. A new voting process was
introduced in 2013 allowing attendees to cast their vote via text message.
SURFACES’ Best New Product of 2013 was awarded to Tile Redi for their product,
Redi Trench. StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas’ Best New Product of 2013 was awarded
to Omni Cubed for their product, Pro-Cart AT2 All-Terrain Countertop
Installation Cart.

The Cleaning and Restoration
Pavilion was another hot spot on the floor as The Experience hosted several
daily demonstrations on the cleaning and restoration of both hard and
soft-surface flooring. In addition, The Experience held their Floor Covering
Symposium in conjunction with SURFACES on Monday and Tuesday during the show.
The symposium was presented by Textile Consultants and LGM & Associates.

The CAGE,
presented by Stone Fabricator’s Alliance, returned featuring hands-on testing,
new products in the fabrication industry, as well as reliable favorites.
Multiple demonstrations were presented daily for attendees to watch and source
new products.

StoneLIVE
Stadium, presented by GranQuartzwas
a StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas show floor favorite. Attendees were able to grab
a drink and take a seat on the bleachers while watching all of The CAGE’s demos
streamed live on big screen televisions.

Designer
Day was extended in 2013 tooffer
two inspiring days filled with captivating products, tours and education helping
designers become more familiar with the latest styles, colors, trends and
inner-workings of the floor covering and stone industries.

Highlights included designer luncheons with celebrity designers Erinn
Valencich, sponsored by QuickStep, and John Gidding, as well as exclusive tours
of The 2013 New American Home led by Blue Heron and The M Resort Spa &
Casino led by Marnell Architecture. Victoria Redshaw and Shelley Pond of Scarlet
Opus took participants on speed trending tours of the show floor, introducing
them to some of the hottest product trends for 2013 and Mark Woodman, President
of Color Marketing Group, shared design tips and international trends.

Designing with Natural
Stone, a
day of continuing education for building design professionals, hosted by
Marmomacc, educated architects and designers about the use of natural stone in
building projects. The day included a
tour of the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, educational sessions, and a
guided walking tour of the show floor.

The Mobile App, sponsored
by FCA Network, received a positive response for the second year from
exhibitors and attendees. The free app allowed attendees to quickly find
exhibitors, seminars, speaker information, and more from iPhones, iPads,
Androids and Blackberry devices. Users were also able to connect to Facebook
and Twitter feeds, hotel/transportation options, local restaurants and more.

Save the
Date

Planning for SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2014 has already
begun, which will take place January 27-30 at the Mandalay Bay Convention
Center, Las Vegas, Nevada USA.

For
information on exhibiting at or attending SURFACES
2014, visit www.Surfaces.com or call 800.547.3477 or 972.536.6400.

For
information on exhibiting at or attending StonExpo/Marmomacc
Americas 2014, visit www.StonExpo.com or call 800.547.3477 or 972.536.6434.

About
SURFACES

The official sponsor of SURFACES is
the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), the floor covering industry's
largest advocacy organization representing floor covering retailers,
contractors and allied service providers throughout North America.

The WFCA is a recognized leader in
marketing research, industry certification programs, and operates the premier
consumer flooring web site, www.wfca.org, providing unbiased information about
every type of floor covering and connecting customers to members’ retail
stores. The WFCA also influences public policy affecting the floor covering
industry and consumers. For more information about the WFCA, visit www.wfca-pro.org.

About
StonExpo

StonExpo/Marmomacc
Americas’ Official Sponsors are the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and
Natural Stone Council. The mission of the MIA is to promote the use of natural
stone and be the world's most authoritative natural stone information resource.
Membership in the association is worldwide and
includes over 2,000 natural
stone producers, exporters/importers, distributors/wholesalers, fabricators,
finishers, installers, and industry suppliers—all committed to the highest
standards of workmanship and ethics.

The Natural Stone Council, home of the Genuine Stone®
brand, is the leader in the stone industry that represents the major
associations who are committed to promotion and education of the industry and
general public of the value and benefits of natural stone. Member associations
include: Allied Stone Industries, Building Stone Institute, Elberton
Granite Association, Indiana Limestone Institute, Marble Institute of
America, National Building Granite Quarries Association, National Slate
Association and Natural Stone Alliance.

Since 1919, the Building Stone Institute has worked on behalf of the
quarries, fabricators, machinery and tools suppliers and others who comprise
our diverse natural stone industry membership. BSI provides programs and
services that empower and enable our member companies to offer the highest
level of quality products and services, and to educate the architectural and
design communities on the benefits and uses of natural stone. BSI is a proud
continuing education provider with the American Institute of Architects and the
American Society of Landscape Architects. Learn more www.buildingstoneinstitute.org.

StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2013 official endorsers are Marmomacc and
ASI.

About Veronafiere

Veronafiere (Verona Trade Fair
Company) is Italy's most
important direct organizer of trade shows and among the top organizers in Europe. Founded in 1898, Veronafiere now focuses on
economic sectors of primary importance to the Italian economy, including stone
(Marmomacc), construction (Samoter), and wine (Vinitaly). Veronafiere conducts or hosts 37 trade shows
a year in Verona and 11 abroad.

Marmomacc is the global leader in
natural and engineered stone materials and related technologies and
design. Samoter is one of Europe's major exhibitions of construction equipment and
earth-moving machinery. Vinitaly is the
largest wine trade show in the world.
All three are owned and organized by Veronafiere.

About Hanley Wood

Hanley
Wood, LLC is the premier media,
information and marketing services company serving the residential, commercial
design and construction industries. Through its operating
platforms, the company produces award-winning digital and print publications,
e-Newsletters, websites, marquee trade shows and events, market intelligence
data and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America's
leading publisher of home plans.